Motorcycle Night Riding Tips

Riding a motorcycle at night is completely different than riding it during the day. In fact, it can be one of the most thrilling experiences you’ll have on your bike. You’ll be able to savor the cool evening breeze and soak up in the view of the city lights. However, night-time riding does bring with it some potential hazards. The experts at Loewer Powersports & Equipment have rounded up the best tips to help you stay safe while riding in the dark. If you want more advice or you are interested in checking out some top-quality motorcycles for sale, visit our dealership in Alexandria, Louisiana.

Potential Hazards

A major part of staying safe on your motorcycle involves being fully aware of the hazards you may encounter. This enables you to be fully alert and ready to respond if something comes up. First and foremost, it’s important to be aware that night-time sees an increase in drunk drivers. The number gets even higher during weekends and holidays. If you happen to notice strange driving behaviors, like weaving from side to side, you may be in close proximity to a drunk driver. Use caution and get as far away from them as you can.

Secondly, night-time also sees an increase in animals on the road. Many prey animals come out at night to avoid predators during the day. Deer are a prime example of this. They might successfully escape the wolf, but this could land them in your path. Be alert for possible animals on the road. Avoid riding in areas where they’re more likely to be seen, like on rural roads.

You’ll also want to keep in mind that riding your motorcycle at night can compromise your ability to spot obstacles. No matter what time you ride, there will always be certain obstacles to face. While these may not increase at night, your ability to spot them will decrease. Therefore, it would be wise to ride defensively to compensate for this.

Adapt Your Riding

You'll need to tweak how you ride your motorcycle when you hit the road in the dark. Start by adjusting your gaze to avoid being blinded by the beams of car headlights. Try to focus on the far right line at the edge of the road of your lane. You should avoid looking down because that will make it difficult to ride in a safe, straight line.

Next, you’ll need to remember to ride your motorcycle defensively. After all, night riding presents a unique set of obstacles and hazards, so it’s crucial to prepare yourself to handle them. You’ll want to leave plenty of room between you and other motorists. You never know when someone else’s focus may be averted. For example, another driver could be drunk or simply unable to see you. Give yourself extra time to change lanes or hit the brakes since your vision is compromised at night. You should be continuously scanning the road for potential obstacles so you’re not blindsided.

Upgrade Your Lights

The more difficult it is to see, the harder it is to avoid issues. Your ability to see is a critical component of motorcycle riding, which begins with proper lighting. Unfortunately, many bikes are only built with standard halogen lights because they’re cheaper for the manufacturer. If that’s your motorcycle, you’ll want to swap them out for LED lights. These are brighter, which is essential for night riding. They last longer, consume less energy, and are more affordable in the grand scheme of things.

Another upgrade to consider is a brake light flasher. This light flashes multiple times prior to emitting a steady light, as opposed to the solid beam of a traditional brake light. This helps get the attention of other motorists on the road to make them more aware of your presence.

The other option is to simply add more lights to your bike. The more bright bulbs you have, the more lighting you’ll have on your path. This means you’ll be able to see better and it will also make you more visible to others on the road. It’s up to you whether you prefer to add single bulbs or strips of bulbs.

Improve Your Visibility

It’s not enough that you’ll be able to see the obstacles around you on the road. You also need to be seen by other drivers. The first step to improving your visibility is to invest in the right clothing. High-visibility clothing is a great choice. Start with choosing brightly colored pieces of clothing, like fluorescent or neon shades. Stay away from the typical all-black ensembles that motorcycle riders tend to rock during the daytime hours. Another option is to add a safety vest to your outfit, similar to the kind that construction workers might wear to increase their visibility at night while they work.

You can go a step further and make your gear reflective. As you shop for gear and apparel, try to buy ones that come with retro-reflective panels. When another motorist’s lights hit the panel, it will glow brightly and be hard to miss. If you’ve already invested in gear, you can add retro-reflective tape to grab the attention of other motorists. Apply this to the edges of your bike, your helmet, saddlebags, and the wheel rims.

We hope that our guide to riding your motorcycle at night has been helpful. If you need more tips or you’re still shopping for a new motorcycle, feel free to give us a call or visit Loewer Powersports & Equipment in Alexandria, LA. We proudly serve all of Rapides Parish and Lafayette, LA.